Seven years on, Xi's vision of civilization inspires hope in world of uncertainties

Broader mind

"We need a mind that is broader than the sky as we approach different civilizations ... we should seek wisdom and nourishment from various civilizations to provide support and consolation for people's mind, and work together to tackle the challenges facing mankind," Xi said seven years ago.

His remarks still bear profound significance now, as the world has yet to walk out of the severe global public health crisis -- diversity will support and enrich the global efforts against COVID-19.

While COVID-19 vaccines must be a global public good, accessible and affordable for all, as emphasized by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in February, some Western countries have stockpiled large quantities of vaccines against the virus, creating stark inequity between the rich and the poor.

According to a report by The New York Times on Monday, residents of wealthy and middle-income countries have received about 90 percent of the nearly 400 million vaccines delivered so far.

Against such a backdrop, China, as a responsible major country with a broader mind to help humanity prevail against the common enemy, has not only delivered medical supplies and sent expert teams to places in need at the early stage of the fight, but also made an all-out effort to promote the fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

So far, China has provided vaccine assistance to 80 countries in need, and is exporting vaccines to 47 countries. It has also decided to provide 10 million vaccine doses to the multilateral vaccine alliance COVAX to meet the urgent needs of developing countries, and to donate vaccines to UN peacekeepers.

As the second batch of the Sinovac vaccines donated by China arrived in the Philippines on Wednesday, Philippine Health Secretary Francisco Duque said "the arrival of these vaccines could not have occurred at a more opportune time considering the continued rise in cases."

"China the lion has awakened, but it is a peaceful, amicable and civilized lion," Xi said in 2014 at a gathering marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic relations, stressing that the Chinese dream is about pursuing peace, questing for happiness, and contributing to the common good of the world.

"As the (Chinese) vaccines were released and aided, this becomes the biggest proof of China's sincerity of intentions and its willingness to lend a helping hand and reaching out to everyone who needs it," Ahmed Bahaa El-Din Shaaban, secretary-general of the Egyptian Socialist Party, told Xinhua.

What China is doing is "beyond nationalism," said Farhat Asif, president of the Islamabad-based Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies. "It's not for the one nation, and it's (for) a community of the shared future. When you're saving somebody, when you're saving a life, it's also saving humanity."